Boat steering mechanism



March 24, 1959 G. R. WARBLOW BOAT STEERING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 14. 1954 INVENTOR GARRETT R. WARBLOW ATTORNEY BOAT STEERING MECHANISM Garrett R. Warblow, Brinkley, Ark.

Application December 14, 1954, Serial No. 475,253

4 Claims. (Cl. 114-153) This invention relates to a device for steering boats provided with outboard motors.

The conventional outboard motor is attached to the rear end of a suitable boat and is ordinarily steered by means of a projecting handle extending toward the front of the boat. The operator usually sits on the rearmost seat of the boat facing forward and with one hand resting on the steering handle. Such an arrangement is ordinarily satisfactory when the boat is simply being used for transportation purposes. Some steering devices have been provided enabling the operator to sit at various other points in the boat while steering the outboard motor from a point remote from the location of the motor.

All of these known devices have been subject to the disability that they required a constant hand on the steering device, wherever it was, thus leaving only one hand of the operator free. The purpose of this invention is to enable an outboard motor to be steered by foot and moreover it is intended that the foot may be removed from the steering mechanism from time to time, without disturbing the setting of the device so that the boat will continue on a preset course. Thus it will be possible for a boat to be operated for limited periods, at least, while leaving the operators hands free. Such an arrangement is of particular advantage to a fisherman fishing by himself.

A special advantage of the present invention is that it may be constructed from elements that are readily procurable, with little effort and at small cost.

A further advantage of this invention is that it is easily attached to and detached from a boat equipped with an outboard motor without injury to the boat. Even while the boat is equipped with the device, it may still be steered in the conventional manner thus adding to the safety of the device. The various parts of the invention are arranged in such manner that they are adjustable to fit a wide variety of boats and the adjustments needed to accomplish this adjustability are of the simplest character.

The preferred embodiment of the invention will be described by reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the entire device shown in operative relationship with respect to a boat equipped with an outboard motor, portions of which boat and motor are shown;

Figure 2 is a view partly in elevation, partly in perspective of the foot operated portion of the device;

Figure 3 in a view partly in elevation; partly in per spective of a portion of the device used for engaging the motor handle; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the pulley clamping devices forming part of the invention.

In the drawings there is shown the rear portion of a boat having mounted thereon an outboard motor 12 provided with a steering bar 13. Removably secured to the steering bar is steering clamp 14 having a 2,878,768 Patented Mar. 24, 1959 clamp portion 16. The clamp may take the form of a conventional C-clamp having a fixed jaw 18 and a movable jaw 20 mounted on a threaded shank 22 which moves in the end 23 of the G-clamp opposite the fixed jaw and is provided with an operating handle 24.

Secured to the back of the C-clamp as by welding is a center bar 26 slightly bent at 28. The bar 26 has one or more pairs of holes 30 cooperating with a set of holes 32 in adjustable arm 34. Holes 30 and 32 are so spaced that arm 34 may be adjustably placed at a number of points on the remote end of bar 26 and it may also be fastened so that the length of the arm is adjustable. Such adjustment is necessary in order to adapt the fitting to a wide variety of motors and boats.

On the outer end of the arm 34 are a pair of holes 36 in which are mounted rings 38, the purpose of which will be brought out in the subsequent description.

A pair of C-clamps 40 and 50 provided with respective fixed jaws 42 and 52 (not shown), movable jaws 44 and 54 and swivel loops 46 and 56 attached to the backs thereof provide mountings for a single pulley 48 and a double pulley 58. These C-clamps are secured to the gunwales 60 of the boat, one on each side on a line just in front of motor 12.

-An arbor piece 62 is provided with a fixed jaw 64 and a movable jaw 66, the latter being mounted in a lug 68 riveted at 70 to the arbor piece. The pulley 72 is swively mounted at 74 near the portion of the arbor piece from which arms 76 depend. The arbor piece and its depending lug may be conveniently constructed from readily available bar stock. In the arm 76 are located a row of spaced holes 78.

The foot piece 80 also consists of a piece of bar stock formed into a base 82 and an upright 84 connected by a half twist 86. A row of holes 88 in the upright 84 are spaced to correspond with the holes 78 and they may be adjustably connected by bolts 90, depending upon the depth of the boat.

A floor rest 92 is riveted at 94 below the upright 84. In the base 82 are a series of holes 96 connected by bolts 98 to a row of corresponding holes 100 in clamp member 102. The clamp member 102 is formed of a long angular member 104 and a short angular member 106 riveted at 108. The long angular member is provided with a movable jaw 110 for gripping a floor rib 111 of the boat 10. It will be observed that the arbor piece 62 and the foot piece 80 with their pertinent parts are secured together to form a three dimensional Z-shaped piece secured firmly and adjustably to the side portion 60 and the rib 111 of the boat.

To this structure is secured foot pedal 112 which rocks on stub shaft 114 pivoted at 116 to foot piece 80. Although the foot pedal 112 may be moved under the pressure of a foot, there is sufiicient friction in the pivot 116 so that the pedal will remain in whatever position it is left when the foot is removed from it. At the outer ends of the foot pedal are a pair of holes 118 for accommodating links 120.

A line 122 is strung from one of the rings 38 over one sheave of pulley 58, one sheave of pulley 72 to the upper link 120 of the foot pedal. Another line 124 is strung from the second link 38 through pulley 48, the second sheave of pulley 58, the second sheave of pulley 72 to the lower link 120 of the foot pedal.

Before securing lines 122 and 124 to the links 120, the motor 12 is adjusted so that it steers a straight course, foot piece 82 is adjusted to clamp member 102 and bolted in position so that upright 84 is a comfortable distance from the rear of the boat to accommodate itself to the length of legs of the user. Also the foot pedal is adjusted at a convenient angle for the foot and then the lines are secured to links 120.

3 With the foot pedal in this'position, the user of the boat may remove his foot from the foot pedal and the boat will continue in the set course. By applying pressure on the toe of the foot pedal the boat will turn to the left while pressure applied to the heel of the foot pedal will cause the boat to turn tothe right.

It will thus be seen that I have devised a simple, in-- expensive and universally adaptable device that frees both hands of the occupant of a boat from the need for steering. What is more, the device will steer the same course for some time after the foot is removed from the steering pedal, permitting the user of the boat to shift his position more freely. What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for steering boats equipped with the type of outboard motor mounted on the transom of the boat, the motor being steered by a bar projecting from the motor into the boat, comprising: means for securing a pair of opposed lines to the steering bar of the outboard motor including a device for removably clamping on the steering bar of the motor, a pair of line anchoring rings connected thereto; an upright located in the boat forwardly of the motor, a foot pedal mounted thereon, means intermediate the ends of the pedal for rockably supporting it on the upright, means adjacent each end of the pedal for securing lines thereto; means for detachably securing the foot of the upright to the rib of the boat, means for detachably securing the outer portion of the upright to a side of the boat; a pair of lines, one each connecting the line anchoring rings, each one, to one of the outer portions of the pedal and guide means for said lines whereby rocking of the pedal will pull the steering bar to one side or the other.

2. Apparatus for steering boats equipped with the type of outboard motor mounted on the transom of the coat, the motor being steered by a bar projecting from the motor into the boat, comprising: a device removably securable to the steering bar of the outboard motor, means secured to said device providing a pair of ring anchorages for a corresponding pair of opposed lines; a pair of elongated elements each provided with a row of holes of corresponding spacing whereby they may be adjustably secured together to form an upright, means on the upright for rockably supporting a foot pedal, means adjacent each end of the pedal for securing lines thereto; means forming an extension of the upright at its lower portion for securing it to a lower part of the hull of the boat, means forming an extension of the upright at its upper portion securing said upright to a gunwale of said boat; a pair of lines, one each connecting one of the ring anchorages at the steering bar with one of the ends of the foot pedal respectively and guide means for said lines whereby rocking of the pedal will pull the steering bar to one side or the other.

3. Apparatus for steering boats equipped with the type of outboard motor mounted on the transom of the boat, the motor being steered by a bar projecting from the motor into the boat, comprising: a device removably securable to the steering bar of the outboard motor, means secured to said device providing a pair of ring anchorages for a corresponding pair of opposed lines; a pair of elongated elements each provided with a row of holes of corresponding spacing whereby they may be adjustably secured together to form an upright, means on the upright for rockably supporting a foot pedal, means adjacent each end of the pedal for securing lines thereto; an extension of the upright at its lower portion, said extension being generally positioned at right angles to the main portion of the upright, a row of holes extending longitudinally in said extension, a clamping member for engaging a lower portion of the boat, an elongated extension of said clamping member, said elongated extension being provided with a row of holes of corresponding spacing to those in the extension of the upright, fastening means, passing through at least two corresponding pairs of said last mentioned holes, means forming an extension of the upright at its upper portion securing said upright to a gunwale of said boat; a pair of lines, one each connecting the line anchoring rings, each one, to one of the outer portions of the pedal and guide means for said lines whereby rocking of the pedal will pull the steering bar to one side or the other.

4-. Apparatus for steering boats equipped with the type of outboard motor mounted on the transom of the boat, the motor being steered by a bar projecting from the motor into the heat, comprising: a device removubly securable to the steering bar of the outboard motor, means sccured to said device providing a pair of ring anchorages for a corresponding pair of opposed lines; a pair of elongated elements each provided with a row of holes of corresponding spacing whereby they may be adjustably secured together to form an upright, means on the upright for rockably supporting a foot pedal, means adjacent each end of the pedal for securing lines thereto; means forming an extension of the upright at its lower portion for securing it to a lower part of the hull of the boat, means forming an extension of the upright and extending laterally from the upper portion thereof including a clamp for removably securing the same to a gunwale or said boat; a pair of lines, one each connecting the line anchoring rings, each one, to one of the outer portions of the pedal and guide means for said lines whereby rocking of the pedal will pull the steering bar to one side or the other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 312,071 Batz Feb. 10, 1885 2,507,894 Dorn et al. May 16, 1950 2,525,349 Gulley Oct. 10, 1950 2,599,791 Swenson June 10, 1952 2,629,356 Whiting Feb. 24, 1953 2,654,335 Ball Oct. 6, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,019,349 France Jan. 20, 1953 

